Acer MXM BIOS Mods and discussion (was: x920G vs. 9600M GT)

[.NetRolller 3D]

@avati: Most likely you have a broken card. It is unlikely that an MXM error would lead to a BSoD.

@sunic: Either version should work with the patched SBIOS.

@momol51: Try a different VBIOS version. Yours is apparently not calling the MXM EDID function. (Common issue with Asus VBIOSes - try another manufacturer's VBIOS.)

[momol51]

oki Netrolller, i go test

[yaincoa]

Your clocks are still low (275/250/550 instead of 500/800/1250), so the low score is expected.

I will release a SBIOS with fixed DSDT soon, which should take care of this. In the meantime, you can try editing your VBIOS with NiBiTor, to copy the "Extra" clocks to the "Throttle" clocks. This should allow your card to clock up to its highest speed, at the expense of power savings. (Don't forget to revert the VBIOS mod once my SBIOS fix is out!)

Thank you again for answering.

UUuuhh... very scared about touching vbios but will try.

KSS.

I'm unable to do it.

I edit with NiBiTor v6.03

I flash with NVflash v5.100.0.1 It shows a subsystem mistmatch

I override the subsystem mistmatch and flash it anyway

At windows 7 screen crashes

I flash nibitor backup and the same subsystem mistmatch, override, crashes

I flash nvflash backup (i'm a backup lover) and all working as in the beginning

I think i will wait for you, .NetRolller 3D :P

(i've tryed also to change subsistem manualy so it matches)

[momol51]

After test, result identik. I have test nvidia et asus vbios 9600m gt. There do not exist the different bios ones in 1024 ddr2.
Grrrr 9650m gt.

[.NetRolller 3D]

@momol51: I specifically asked you NOT to use an Asus VBIOS. It is probably the reason why your card doesn't work.

Also, a 512MB DDR2 BIOS might be safe to try - usually VBIOSes only care about memory type, not capacity.

@yaincoa: What The...? You try to flash a BIOS you made by modifying your own VBIOS dump, and get a subsys ID mismatch? That would be a paranormal event for sure.

Are you sure you are editing the right VBIOS with NiBiTor? If indeed you are doing everything right, then please report this immediately to NiBiTor's authors - presumably it somehow mangles the PCI ID block in the VBIOS when saving.

[yaincoa]

@yaincoa: What The...? You try to flash a BIOS you made by modifying your own VBIOS dump, and get a subsys ID mismatch? That would be a paranormal event for sure.

Are you sure you are editing the right VBIOS with NiBiTor? If indeed you are doing everything right, then please report this immediately to NiBiTor's authors - presumably it somehow mangles the PCI ID block in the VBIOS when saving.

Yes, it is very extrange.

Even, the backup generated with nibitor, without edit anything, gives a subsys id mismatch when flashing it.

The backup generated with nvflash can be flashed again without problem.

?¿

I've tryed older versions of nibitor, but the same problem.

Ok i will report, i've seen that you write to them too when looking for an answer.


Thanks, kss.



Edit :
I was repeating all to post both bios backups in NiBiTor's forum and....... even with the own nvflash backup done 1sec before...

D:\Editor VBIOS\NVflash>nvflash -b b.rom

NVIDIA Firmware Update Utility (Version 5.100)

Adapter: GeForce 9600M GT     (10DE,0649,1025,0121) H:--:NRM B:01,PCI,D:00,F:00

The display may go *BLANK* on and off for up to 10 seconds during access to the
EEPROM depending on your display adapter and output device.

Identifying EEPROM...
EEPROM ID (C2,2010) : MX MX25L512 2.7-3.6V 512Kx1S, page
Reading adapter firmware image...
Image Size            : 65024 bytes
Version               : 62.94.4A.00.23
~CRC32                : 704D07F6
Subsystem ID          : 10DE-061C
Hierarchy ID          : Normal Board
Chip SKU              : N/A
Project               : N/A
CDP                   : N/A
Build Date            : 07/25/08
Modification Date     : 10/09/08
Saving of image completed.

D:\Editor VBIOS\NVflash>nvflash b.rom

NVIDIA Firmware Update Utility (Version 5.100)

Checking for matches between display adapter(s) and image(s)...

Adapter: GeForce 9600M GT     (10DE,0649,1025,0121) H:--:NRM B:01,PCI,D:00,F:00

WARNING: Firmware image PCI Subsystem ID (10DE.061C)
  does not match adapter PCI Subsystem ID (1025.0121).

ERROR: PCI subsystem ID mismatch

D:\Editor VBIOS\NVflash>

So i surrender, i go to sleep sry.

[avati]

Yes, it is very extrange.

Even, the backup generated with nibitor, without edit anything, gives a subsys id mismatch when flashing it.

The backup generated with nvflash can be flashed again without problem.

?¿

I've tryed older versions of nibitor, but the same problem.

Ok i will report, i've seen that you write to them too when looking for an answer.


Thanks, kss.

From what i see from your log screen INSIDE your card is a bios with Device ID 0649, Sub Vendor ID: 10DE (Nvidia) and Sub System ID: 061c. Although the adapter has different info (0649,1025,0121). That happens if you flashed your vga card with a WRONG CHECKSUM bios. To correct that do the following. Open the bios you want with nibitor. Go to the advanced info menu and there is a button "rescan". Press rescan. Above there is a dot that writes "Integrity". If that dot is yellow, it means that there is a checksum error. To fix that, just go to File / Save bios , choose the same bios and overwrite. Now press rescan again. If the integrity goes Green, that means checksum is fixed. TRy now with nvflash, to flash the rom, that you got from nibitor (use that command: nvflash b.rom -4 -5 -6 -A ).I hope i helped.

P.S: Do also that test with the bios you want to check with nvflash. Open with nibitor and open the bios you want. Go to "Adv.info" menu. From what i see from your log screen, the informations on the Nibitor should be as following:
Device ID: 0649
Sub Vendor ID: 1025
Sub System ID: 0121

If you dont see something like that you try to flash diffent bios from what is inside the vga card, and the error is normal.
At last if you are sure that the bios is compatible DONT use the parameters "nvflash b.rom" but " nvflash b.rom -4 -5 -6 -A " and press "y" to the message tha cames out . Without the "" ofcource.

@avati: Most likely you have a broken card. It is unlikely that an MXM error would lead to a BSoD.

@netroller 3D. Isn't possible that the vga card is flashed with wrong bios from the beginning, from the supplier(How i can check that by the way.)? Shouldnt a broken card give a black screen on the boot?
My card gives only BSOD every time i try to install nvidia drivers. Otherwise nor temperature increasing, i can read the card through GPU-Z (except clocks because for that i need drivers installed), Nibitor can modify the bios normaly and nvflash can flash the bios without any problems.
A broken card shouldn't do anything of the above, should they?

[yaincoa]

Oki, i've done what avati said and my graphic card crashed.

So... as i could not see anything in the screen, i've done a bootable pendrive with nvflash and with autoexec.bat calling it with -A -6 backup.rom parameters so it is restored!

If anyone need it, you can restore a graphic card like this.

[.NetRolller 3D]

@yaincoa: Apparently the 5920G's SBIOS is overriding the card's subsystem ID to always display Acer. I've seen similar behavior earlier with the 5720G - however, I do not see it anymore, and I don't know which BIOS option changed it. This should be safe to ignore.

Are you simply copying the clock values in NiBiTor, or the raw perf table entries? You should try the latter, it has a higher success rate.

@yaincoa: There are many ways an MXM VGA card can fail. Black screen on startup is just one of those. Crashing when the Windows driver enables hardware acceleration is another one. Artifacting is yet another one. I've even seen cards that simply misread the internal LCD panel's resolution due to a failure of the EDID decoder.

[yaincoa]

@yaincoa: Apparently the 5920G's SBIOS is overriding the card's subsystem ID to always display Acer. I've seen similar behavior earlier with the 5720G - however, I do not see it anymore, and I don't know which BIOS option changed it. This should be safe to ignore.

Are you simply copying the clock values in NiBiTor, or the raw perf table entries? You should try the latter, it has a higher success rate.

@yaincoa: There are many ways an MXM VGA card can fail. Black screen on startup is just one of those. Crashing when the Windows driver enables hardware acceleration is another one. Artifacting is yet another one. I've even seen cards that simply misread the internal LCD panel's resolution due to a failure of the EDID decoder.

Thank you again.

It should be that, it is very extrange that behaviour with subsystems even touching nothing.

Here the contradictions flashing:

Are you simply copying the clock values in NiBiTor, or the raw perf table entries? You should try the latter, it has a higher success rate.

I copy the clock values in NiBiTor, and, it crashes (blue screen) at windows when enables hardware acceleration. This with nvidia driver installed, when vga default card no (i imagine it never enables acceleration).

How can i change the clock values as you say in your second option?


EDIT TO ADD IMAGE:


Like this with an hex editor?¿ Or its another thing?

KSS.